News from my old stomping grounds broke earlier today that has amazed me on many levels. Bottom line, as of today, Los Angeles Laker superstar Kobe Bryant is in a court battle with his own mother. He is trying to prevent her from auctioning off mementos from his high school athletic career in suburban Philadelphia.

Earlier today, a New Jersey auction house filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Camden for the right to sell the mementos after Bryant’s attorneys wrote the auction house telling it to cancel a planned auction next month.

The auction house reportedly advanced Pamela Bryant $450,000 for the right to sell her son’s Lower Merion High School gear, varsity letters, trophies and even items from his NBA career.

Pamela Bryant told the auction house she had her son’s permission to sell the stuff. Having already paid her nearly a half million dollars, the auction house is in a tough place. Without an auction, it will be hard-pressed to recoup its losses.

Obviously the great wealth of a professional athletic career does little to insure family bliss.